Surviving Love
by Aria Rayn
Summary: Sequel to Mornings and Love, SJ as always! Hmm...
1. Chapter 1

Surviving Love Part One

(_About a Month from December 25th_)

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"There's someone outside who wants to see you."

Sam's eyes flew to the door, and she was crestfallen to see Daniel's face in the tiny window of the door.

"Send him in!" she ordered.

"But –"

"NOW!" she screamed.

It was about five minutes before Daniel appeared at her side, also wearing the doctor's garbs. "Hey, Sam," he said gently. "I came as quickly as I could."

Sam was in no mood for gentleness. "Where the HELL is Jack?" she shouted.

"He's…with one of the teams – away. They're trying to contact him but there's been a…a malfunction in communications."

"A…a flipping MALFUNCTION?" she screamed.

"I'm sorry Sam. I know he wants to be here for you."

Sam squeezed her eyes shut. _And this is just the beginning…_

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"Push, Samantha, _push!_" the doctor urged.

Sam was sure that her eyes would have popped from their sockets by now if they weren't squeezed shut.

"I think I would prefer Netu!" she yelped breathlessly, though she followed instructions as ordered.

"You're at the shoulders, now; breathe!" Dr. Whatever-His-Name-Was

"Where's Jack?!" Sam shrieked. _He better have a DAMN good reason for not being here!_ she thought for the fifteen-hundredth time in the last several hours.

"It's okay, just _push!_"

Sam tried to regain control over her contracting, throbbing, wild muscles, and squeezed. And again, and again…

"Almost there!"

Several pushes later…

Sam felt the most glorious relief:

Her muscles flushed the last of their burden.

An infant cried.

"Baby girl, born January 14th, at 0402."

Another morning. A new love.

"You did it Sam," Daniel said jubilantly, giddily beaming at her and the baby.

Sam felt tears cascading down her cheeks, joyously. She couldn't even feel her body's pain anymore. Every inch of her soul was centered on her baby girl – her and Jack's baby girl.


	2. Chapter 2

Sam never felt such extreme joy – or such confusing sadness. There was something bittersweet about having her beautiful, perfect baby daughter suckling at her breast – and it wasn't only from the unusual sensation.

It was right, but it was also wrong; Jack was supposed to be there. He was supposed to be able to see his daughter being born, to be there to name her, to hold her.

Sam wouldn't let anyone else but her hold their daughter – Jack had to be next.

He had to.

With these thoughts in mind, Sam fell asleep, cradling her daughter to her chest.

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Sam awoke only to find her arms empty. Her baby!

She sat up, quick as a whip, and was instantly relieved to find Jack sitting next to the bed, their daughter in his arms.

After the initial relief at locating her daughter, Sam felt another, newer rush of relief flow through her. Jack. Her Jack, her fiancé, and their daughter.

Wow.

"Jack," she whispered.

Jack's eyes seemed to be transfixed on their daughter; those warm, loving eyes wouldn't look at her. "She's perfect…" he whispered in return, seemingly unaware that Sam had spoken.

Sam nodded. Her mind was supplying tidbits of information about Jack, analyzing and concluding his reactions. But her heart was counting the seconds; why didn't he even look at her? Smile? Anything?

Sam was completely unprepared for this wave of indignant irritability that swept through her. It was there only a moment; it seemed to vanish as quickly as it had started, leaving her bewildered as to the source. Jack.

_Of course,_ she thought. _This is huge for Jack. This baby isn't just mine or ours, it's his second chance. He must think it's a miracle that she was born._

Still, she felt unappreciated, as though, "Thanks for the kid, you can leave now." But she knew that wasn't the case. Her whole being knew that wasn't the case. She _knew_ it.

But a little reassurance never hurt, either…

Finally, he looked up at her smiling.

Sam's heart melted, and she let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.

"Thank you," Jack whispered, leaning over their daughter to kiss her cheek. "I love you, Sam…"

There were no words more beautiful than those four.

"I love you, too, Jack," she choked out, her throat tight, on the verge of tears.

Jack looked back down at their daughter. "Jamie?" he suggested. "Jamie O'Neill?"

Sam felt a persistent twinge of need to have her soon-to-be maiden name in the picture. "I think we should have a hyphened last name," she said slowly. "She should know where she comes from."

"Jamie Carter-O'Neill?" Jack improved hopefully.

"Ellie," Sam said softly, looking at their daughter. At that moment, the baby turned her tiny, innocent eyes toward Sam; just then, Sam knew her daughter's identity.

"Ellie?" Jack grinned from ear to ear. "I like it. How about 'Jay' for a middle name?"

"Ellie Jay," Sam said, a smile blooming on her face as well. She tore her gaze from the baby's and hooked onto Jack's gaze. "It's perfect."

Jack bent down and stroked the baby's face; immediately the baby responded, turning her gaze on him. "Welcome to the world, little Ellie Jay," he whispered.


	3. Authors Note Please Look

_**Please ignore long Authors Note below unless you are frustrated with my infrequent updates… **_

_I would like the opportunity to explain in better depth exactly why I'm so bad at updating, other than the usual, "Sorry, RL is BUSY." High school is every bit as torturous on the homework as they threatened in elementary and middle school. Esp. in history. Our history teacher seems to love notes – LOTS of notes. Lemme put it this way: it took 9 pages to finish one SECTION of chapter nine (5 actual sheets, 4 are front-and-back, 1 is one-sided). Imagine four sections._

_Yeah._

_It's getting very stressful to deal with that, and all my other classes (note also that ROTC has three parts: aerospace science, leadership, and drill). So by the time I'm done with stuff (and usually I don't even get done, I just burn out halfway to three-quarters of the way) I don't even want to look at a pencil, or in this case, my word document. My novel (which isn't even at novella-length yet, sadly…) is also being neglected as well as my fanfics. So please, I'll need your support. There's no use in emailing me with questions about the next update, because the answer will be, "When my relatively sane side has a spare half hour to write it and upload it." Encouragement and reviews, however, are GREATLY desired._

_Unfortunately, all this means that I will not have adequate time to give every review the deserved author's reply, but any emails I get WILL from now on replied to as quickly as possible._

_Thank you and I hope you have it in your shippers heart to understand _

_Aria_


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